Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the White House for historic talks: Joe and Bibi ignore barrage of questions as they discuss Gaza ceasefire

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met connected Thursday nether increasing unit for a imperishable cease occurrence successful nan Middle East.

They shook hands and took their seats, exchanging pleasantries successful nan Oval Office. They did respond to aggregate questions from journalists. 

The 2 leaders are gathering amid expanding unit to extremity nan nine-month warfare successful nan Middle East that's near much than 39,000 dormant successful Gaza. Dozens of Israeli hostages stay successful Hamas captivity.

The management believes that a woody 'is successful nan closing stages and it's reaching a constituent that we judge a woody is closable, and it's clip to move to adjacent that agreement,' a elder management charismatic told reporters connected Wednesday.

'We're person than we've ever been,' nan charismatic noted. 'It's up to nan Israelis to judge it.'

Biden is trying to extremity nan warfare earlier his word of agency expires. If he does it earlier nan November election, it could beryllium a boost for Vice President Kamala Harris, who he endorsed arsenic nan Democratic nominee.

Harris will person a abstracted gathering pinch Netanyahu later Thursday afternoon.

The premier minister, meanwhile, is stepping his ain delicate statement betwixt those Israelis who want him to extremity nan warfare and person their loved ones returns and those far-right members of his governing conjugation who request he defy immoderate woody that would support Israeli forces from eliminating Hamas.

This will beryllium nan first clip nan 2 will meet successful personification since Biden visited Israel soon aft Hamas' violent onslaught connected Oct. 7.

The White House prepared for nan sojourn by putting up actual blocks and anti-climbing fencing to ward disconnected protesters. When Netanyahu said connected Capitol Hill connected Wednesday, protesters fought pinch U.S. Capitol Police, who had barricades up astir nan Capitol.

They besides painted graffiti on Union Station, which sits a fewer blocks from nan Capitol building. They ripped down nan American emblem to alert nan Palestinian one.

Biden and Netanyahu person had a tense narration arsenic nan president has many times warned him astir civilian casualties successful nan Gaza strip. Additionally, galore progressives are furious pinch Israel's behaviour during nan war. Several Democratic lawmakers skipped Netanyahu's reside successful nan Capitol connected Wednesday successful protest.

Netanyahu attacked pro-Palestinian protesters successful nan U.S. successful his remarks, calling them 'Iran's useful idiots.'

'Some of these protesters clasp up signs proclaiming, 'Gays for Gaza,'' he said. 'They mightiness arsenic good clasp up signs saying, 'Chickens for KFC.' These protesters chant, 'From nan stream to nan sea,' but galore don't person a hint what stream and what oversea they're talking about.'

It was Netanyahu's first White House sojourn since Donald Trump was president. The Israeli PM plans to meet pinch Trump connected Friday astatine nan erstwhile president's Mar-a-Lago home.

And it's Biden's first gathering pinch a overseas leader since he announced he's exiting nan 2024 statesmanlike race.

After gathering successful nan Oval Office, nan 2 leaders will meet pinch nan families of American hostages successful Gaza.

In his reside to Congress, Netanyahu offered a fiery defense of Israel's behaviour during nan warfare and lashed retired against accusations by nan International Criminal Court of Israeli warfare crimes.

He thanked President Biden for his support and besides noted each Trump had done for Israel.

'As we take sides ourselves connected each fronts, I cognize that America has our backmost and I convey you for it – each sides of nan aisle,' Netanyahu said.

Harris missed Netanyahu's reside because of a antecedently scheduled arena successful Indianapolis. Typically, nan vice president presides complete associated addresses.